how do you put a cedille on this thing?

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

You'd think at least the soup would be consistent.

Every time I go to the 8th St. Grille, I can count on it. That chicken corn chowder. A certain consistency, a certain flavor with just a little kick to it. It's always been that way.

Until today, apparently.

I met Emily, a good friend from college, there for lunch today. She was in town for a wedding. Seeing as Holland is closer to Grand Rapids than is Maryland - Emily's usual residence - it was a good opportunity to do so.

Emily and I primarily got to know each other through orchestra and Symphonette. We are both violinists. (That's the cool instrument, in case you weren't sure.) And the great thing about Emily, and all my college friends, really, is that every time I see her, no matter how long it's been since we were last together, it's as if no time has passed. We can pick up exactly where we left off and have a great time together.

However, the same could not be said of the soup. The flavor wasn't bad, but the texture of the broth was all wrong. It's supposed to be a fairly thick, creamy soup, but this time it was quite watery and not even the usual color. It was still quite edible, but it was not the same. I missed that special kick and the familiar consistency.

Adding insult to injury, even my usual accompaniment for the soup - a half chicken salad sandwich - had abandoned me. Oh, sure, it's still on the menu, and so without reading the entire description - who needs to do that for a favorite item? - I ordered my soup bar and half sandwich. But alas - it came on some other funky roll, not the tasty croissant I was counting on. And while it was also still quite edible, it was not the sandwich I had been craving.

Maybe it was an off-day. Maybe somebody new made the soup. Maybe they ran out of croissants. Whatever the reason, and in spite of the results, it was still another familiar, wonderful meal with a friend at a favorite Holland haunt.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Isn't life grand?